Characteristics of life-form and growth-form of plant species in an alpine ecosystem of North-West Himalaya

The present study was conducted in the alpine pastures of Tungnath （30° 14＇ N and 79° 13＇ E） to observe life-form and growth-form patterns of alpine plant species under grazed and ungrazed conditions and to work out the plant life form spectrum. Species were categorized as plant habit, height and length of growth-cycle and life-form classes according to Raunkiaer＇s system. The results show that in total of 68 species at grazed site, hemicryptophytes （He） accounted for 50.00% species, followed by cryptophytes （26.47%）, chamaephytes （16.18%）, phanemphytes （4.41%） and therophytes （2.94%）. At the ungrazed site in 65 plant species, hemicryptophytes （He） accounted fo＇r 49.23% species, cryptophytes （26.15%）, chamaephytes （15.38%）, phanerophytes （6.15%） and ther6phytes （3.08 % species）. In general, hemicrptophyte are dominant^in both sites i.e. graged and ungrazed. Growth form categories were classified as forbs, shrubs, grasses and sedges＇and undershrubs, according to plant habit and height. On the basis of length of the growth cycle, species were categorized as plant species of short growth cycle, intermediate growth cycle and long growth cycle. The short forbs of plant habit and height, had the highest emergence, and grasses and sedges had the lowest emergence in representative species. Percentage of species with long growth cycle was highest in both sites.

Ecological features of Aconitum balfourii (Bruhl) Muk.-an endangered medicinal plant in the northwest Himalaya

Aconitum balfourii （Bruhl） Muk. （Ranunculaceae） is an en- dangered medicinal plant. Natural populations were surveyed in the northwest Himalaya for population estimation and evaluation of elite germplasm. Vegetation sampling of quadrats was conducted using the vertical belt transect method in areas supporting A. balfourii. Plant den- sity and relative dominance ofA. balfourii were low compared with other alpine species. Threat status was determined on a site-by-site basis as well as for entire western Himalaya..4. balfourii was generally classified as endangered on the basis of geographic distribution and critically en- dangered on the basis of abundance. We found the natural geographic distribution of.4. balfourii to be diminishing due to habitat destruction. Immediate corrective management measures are needed for sustainable utilization and long-term conservation of the species in the wild.

Micropalaeontological and Geochemical Evidence of the Late Jurassic Radiolarians Cherts of Naga Ophiolite Hill, Nagaland, Northeast-India

We analyzed the radiolarian assemblages (pelagic sediments) and geochemical studies of 15 samples collected from Meluri district Nagaland, Naga Hills Ophiolite belt (NHO) and it consists of the Flysch Naga-Arakan-Yoma trough beyond the Indo-Myanmar border. It reflects one of the many components of the Himalayan Orogenic systems of Tethyan oceanic crust discovered in Nagaland at Meluri district of India and they have very well-preserved studies and can be identified to Upper Jurassic (Kimmeridgian-mid-Tithonian). As well as a continuous sequence of Kimmeridgian-mid-Tithonian, five radiolarian assemblages have been identified in this study. This is so far the first recovery of pelagic sediment assemblages (Radiolarians) from the Naga Hills Ophiolite complex. Samples of Naga Hills Ophiolite belts fell in the Sublitharenite, Litharenite, and Fe-shale Fe-sand area, and the A-CN-K diagram indicates that these sediments in the source region were exposed deep to moderate weathering conditions. In the discriminant plot, the Naga Hill-Ophiolite-Chert samples occupy the field of origin of the sediment quartzose, and the log (K2O/Na2O) versus SiO2 samples fall into the active continental marginal field, and only one sample falls into an island arch, suggesting that the tectonic framework of the Naga Hills-Chert samples was deposited in the active continental margin and the diagrams K2O/Al2O3 and MgO/Al2O3 illustrated the tectonic setting of the marine environment from Naga Hill Ophiolite Chert. Such findings have been consistent with the current geology of Naga Hills in the province of Nagaland.

Intervention points for community- acquired methicillin- resistant Staphylococcus aureus colonization and load in healthy population of lesser Himalayan Belt, South Asia, India

OBJECTIVES： To trace the critical practicing, clinical and epidemiological risk factors in bacterial load and points of intervention in spread of community-acquired methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus （CA-MRSA） in healthy community. STUDY DESIGN： 2872 individuals with no prominent clinical features were enrolled and administered a pre-tested questionnaire prepared on the basis of outcome of a prior pilot study in same region. Swab samples from skin, throat and nasal nares were tested for MRSA and molecular identification was done to track the strains moving from hospital to community. METHODS： Swab samples from skin, throat and nasal nares were tested for MRSA culture followed by molecular characterization of isolates and antimicrobial resistance pattern. Bacterial load was estimated to better understand the burden in different categories. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS 16.0 version. RESULTS： History of prior infection （OR 3.9, 95% CI 1.363 - 5.793）, habit of self remedy （OR 3.2, 95% CI 0.991 1.473） and incomplete treatment （OR 0.26, 95% CI 0.08 - 0.80） （P 〈 0.05 for each） were the predominant factors that contributed to spread of CA-MRSA. Increased drug resistance in CA-MRSA was observed for 4 different clones： SCCmec^＋ IVa/PVL^＋, SCCmec^＋ IVa/PVL^- and SCCmec^＋ IVc/PVL^＋, SCCmec^＋ IVc/PVL . Bacterial load was found significantly high in below poverty line dwellers and drug abusers （P 〈 0.05）. CONCLUSION： We identified habit of self remedy, drug abusing and incomplete treatment as practicing risk factors where interventions can be made to manage the dissemination of CA-MRSA in rural population.